Alex claimed bronze in the scratch race having earlier pulled on the green and gold in team pursuit qualifying.

According to Cycling Australia, Alex was well positioned throughout the race and then unleashed her powerful turn of speed to sprint her way on to the podium with bronze.

"I'm so happy to get bronze it's my first race on the world stage as a junior and I really went in to it just trying to get some experience, so really happy to come away with a medal,” said an excited Alex.

"I can definitely take confidence from this result and I'm looking forward to round one of the team pursuit tomorrow but also the omnium.

"The scratch race today was a really good opportunity to get used to how they race over here and just prepare for that.”

Alexandra Martin-Wallace the national under-19 division title earlier this year.JOHN VEAGE

The Cycling Australia report said the opening 15 of 30 laps were raced at a fairly sedate pace before a three-rider group of Alijah Beatty (United States), Petra Sevcikova (Czech Republic) and Olha Kulynych (Ukraine) attacked quickly gaining a small advantage on the bunch. Belgium's Shari Bossuyt bridged across and continued over the top solo, and looked to be stealing the show with the bunch unwilling to take up the chase.

With the laps counting down the bunch finally swung in to action with three laps remaining, with the field back together as the bell sounded. Martina Fidanza (Italy) was the first to open her sprint and was able to hold off the charge from Mylene De Zoete (Netherlands) with Martin-Wallace completing the podium.

The women's team pursuit squad of Alex, Jade Haines (WA), Alice Culling (VIC) and Maeve Plouffe (SA) are through to round one on Thursday.

In qualifying they made a fast start over the opening kilometre before stopping the clock in 4mins 37.500secs, less than a second outside the Australian record.

Australia will face eighth fastest qualifiers Colombia in round one on Thursday looking to set one of the two fastest times outside the winners of heats three and four for a spot in the bronze medal ride.

Italy set a new world record of 4mins 23.229secs to qualify fastest.

Alex Martin-Wallace heads to the final line of criterium racing at Landsborough.Mal Keeble

Alex was born and raised on Hamilton Island where she started racing triathlon.

After moving to the Sunshine Coast at the age of eight, riding around the Coast (and then eventually on the velodrome), cycling became her first love.

"Alex was always strong in criterium racing which is still her strength today, on and off the road, as well as time trials,” her mum Tess said.

"Alex is very easy going and doesn't over analyse anything, so her success has come as a surprise. But she is sensible and grounded, she eats well, sleeps well, trains hard and studies hard for Year 12. She just has to be very effective with time management.”